What surgical procedure is performed to treat obstruction involving the lacrimal sac and nasolacrimal duct?

Dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) is the surgical procedure that addresses the obstruction of the lacrimal sac and nasolacrimal duct. This operation creates a new drainage pathway for tears to bypass the obstructed area, allowing tears to drain from the lacrimal sac directly into the nasal cavity.

When the nasolacrimal duct is obstructed, it can lead to symptoms such as excessive tearing (epiphora) or recurrent infections of the lacrimal sac (dacryocystitis). DCR is specifically designed to relieve these symptoms by establishing a functioning route for tear drainage.

Other procedures, while related to lacrimal system surgeries, target different issues. Canaliculoplasty focuses on reconstructing the canaliculus, Punctoplasty involves widening the puncta to improve tear drainage, and lacrimal sac excision is not typically used to treat duct obstruction but may involve the removal of the sac itself for other pathological conditions. Thus, DCR is the definitive procedure for obstructions involving both the lacrimal sac and nasolacrimal duct.